All-American Man Michael Kors knows what women want, and he aims to please

All-American Man Michael Kors knows what women want, and he aims to please

Michael Kors is the quintessential American designer. You’ve seen him on Project Runway, and the first question always out of his mouth is, “What do women want to wear?” Kors seems to know. With his multitude of collaborations and diffusion lines at affordable price points, his perfect day dresses, signature belts and everyday tote bags capture both the hearts and pocketbooks of women across the country. Michael Kors designs to please, and that approach has worked for him for more than 30 years.

So it’s no wonder that the glitterati packed into his show during New York’s Fall Fashion Week. Everyone was there: Jessica Alba, Debra Messing and Paula Patton. In true Kors fashion, he delivered the glamour to his glamorous front row.

For his fall/winter 2012 line, Kors found inspiration in the stars of Hollywood past. Pointing to Carole Lombard as a starting point, we could picture his glimmering Deco dresses on the celebrities of yore. But the collection didn’t feel trapped in the ’30s by any means. His floor-length gowns were modernized with intricate sheer paneling, and the classic styles had socialites aflutter. We overheard whispers of “stunning,” “major” and “absolute perfection” rippling through the front row.

Some of the most fun pieces were the array of coats, extravagantly piled with embellishments. Kors wasn’t shy about using fur (lamb, raccoon, shearling—you name it!), and he even sent a couple towering fur hats down the runway. After the show, Kors told The New York Times that he was going after a “rugged elegance” for his ladies, which came through in his choice of winter-friendly fabrics: buffalo checks, mohair, tweeds and alpaca. One of our favorite things was Kors’ casting. After a week of seeing stick-thin models saunter down the runway, it was refreshing to witness wholesome, healthy, beautiful girls modeling the Kors collection—further proof that the designer has a firm handle on true American style.